21. Tree-mergency

Tree-mergency

Grant

17 Days Until New Year’s Eve

M y mind wandered as I sat listening to my legal team review the new tracker’s terms and conditions. I would love to be anywhere but here. Given a choice, I’d rather be between Nova’s warm thighs. Unfortunately, today wasn’t my day with her because I was swamped with work. One of my brothers would get that honor tonight. My phone beeped, and I smiled when I saw I got a text from Nova. She must have known I was thinking about her. I opened the text message and froze.

Nova: 9-1-1. Icing. I need you.

Worried, I jumped up. “Sorry, I have to go. Something has come up that needs my attention. Send me the document when you’ve finished.” I raced to the cupcake shop. Nova wasn’t an alarmist, so whatever it was had to be serious. As I parked, I was relieved the shop didn’t appear to be on fire. I rushed inside, and Stef pointed toward the kitchen.

“She’s losing her shit,” Stef advised me as I passed.

I rushed into the kitchen and found Nova in her office, frantically pacing the small room. I grabbed her and checked her over, searching for any injuries. When I was sure she wasn’t physically hurt, I willed myself to relax so that I could figure out what the problem was. Nova was babbling, and I couldn’t understand what she was saying. Not knowing what to do, I pinched her lips closed with my fingers.

“Stop. Breathe. Relax. Whatever it is, we’ll fix it. But you need to calm down so I can figure out what needs to be fixed.” Nova melted into me, and I held her close. “Start at the beginning,” I said when I felt she had calmed down enough to communicate better.

“I don’t have a tree!” Nova exclaimed as she pulled away from me and began to pace again. “We’re having a tree lighting ceremony in three days, and I don’t have a tree!”

I grabbed her and sat in her desk chair with her in my lap. “I thought you had that squared away?”

“I did! I had a gorgeous nineteen-foot Noble Fir from up north scheduled to be delivered Friday,” she replied, angrily swiping her hair from her face. “They just called to tell me it won’t be coming. The tree hasn’t been cut yet, and now, with the blizzard that just hit them, they can’t get out there to cut it. It wouldn’t matter if they could because, thanks to the blizzard, the roads are too much of a mess for them to truck it here safely. What am I going to do? There isn’t enough time to source another large tree.”

I contemplated the problem for a minute and realized that it might be one I could solve. “Ok. Let me make some calls. I’ll get you a tree if I have to steal one,” I joked.

She rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched into a brief smile, which was what I was looking for. “How?”

“You don’t accumulate as much money as I do and not meet some useful people along the way. I have connections all over for all sorts of things.” I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found the one I was looking for. Mick was a helicopter pilot and a damned good one. He answered on the second ring.

“Holy shit. Grant Cromwell, is that you on the other end of my line?”

“It’s me, Mick.”

“Who died?”

“What? Nobody died.”

“Then who needs to die? The only reason you’re calling me is if you need help with a dead body or making a body dead.” Mick laughed at his joke, making me roll my eyes.

“You always have enjoyed your humor more than anyone else. I need a favor.”

“What kind of problem could Grant Cromwell have that he needs my help with?” Mick asked with genuine curiosity. It was usually him needing a favor from me.

“The kind that involves a blizzard and a nineteen-foot Christmas tree stuck out in the forest,” I replied. Dead silence was on the line for thirty seconds before he started to chuckle. Mick’s laugh was infectious, and I couldn’t help the smirk that crept across my face.

“Who is she?” he asked.

“Who is who?” I replied, trying to deflect. Nova stiffened in my lap, and I rubbed her back to reassure her. I wasn’t dodging the question because I was ashamed. I avoided the questions because Mick sometimes didn’t know how to shut the hell up.

“This has something to do with a woman. No way in hell that it doesn’t. Spill or my answer is no,” Mick said, serving his ultimatum with glee.

I sighed. Mick just had to be difficult. “Her name is Nova. She owns the local cupcake shop and is coordinating this weekend’s Christmas festival.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. You’re serious. What’s she like?”

I looked at Nova, still perched in my lap. She returned my gaze, and I could see the curiosity in her eyes over how I would answer. “She’s perfect. Everything I didn’t know I needed.”

Nova’s eyes softened, and her body melted into me a little more, increasing my awareness that I had her delicious body in my lap. I needed to get this phone call over with to take full advantage of it.

“Now, if we could get back to that favor—“

“What do your brothers think?” Mick interrupted. He was already trying my patience.

“You really are a nosy mother fucker, you know that? They feel the same way I do,” I replied.

His laughter over my statement died as the meaning behind my answer sank in. “Nova must be one hell of a woman to put up with all three of you.”

“She is. Can we get to the purpose of my call, or do you want to continue gossiping like a teenage girl?”

“Lay it on me,” he replied. I explained our situation and had Nova relay the specifics to him.

“Do you think you can do it and have it here by Friday?” I asked.

“Sure can. I know a guy who likes risky ventures and can chop down trees. I’ll call this tree company and tell them to get out there and mark the tree off in a visible way, or I’m flying up there and taking the biggest tree I can find. You’ll have your Christmas tree in time,” he assured me.

“Thanks, Mick. You’re a lifesaver. Just send the bill to Triple Tech and make it worthwhile. We’ll pay.”

“Nope. Consider this a pro-bono favor for the woman who took three of the richest reclusive bachelors off the market. I look forward to meeting her on Friday,” he replied firmly.

“Mick, while I appreciate the gesture, I can’t let you do that,” I protested.

“Sure you can. I’ll tell you what: if you’re so intent on spending your money, take what you think you should pay me, add a zero, and give it to the kids in my name. And stop arguing with me about it. I choose whether to accept your money or not.” He hung up before I could reply—stubborn asshole.

“Done,” I said to Nova, laying my phone on her desk.

“Thank you!” she replied, peppering my face with kisses. I managed to capture her lips with mine and deepened the kiss. It might not be my day with her, but I had already decided I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity. What was our new motto? Carpe Diem.